Target CIO stepping down

While not a new threat, cybersecurity has recently found itself in the limelight following major events at retailers like Target Corp. and Neiman Marcus. Perhaps the most widely publicized cybercrime event in recent history, the 2013 holiday breach at Target exposed sensitive details on 40 million credit and debit card accounts being held by the company. This week, continued consumer concern has translated into movements at the highest levels of Target, with the company’s chief information officer resigning from her post as of March 5.

Beth Jacob, the former CIO who oversaw computer systems during the breach in 2013, will leave as Target reevaluates its security protocols and searches for additional help externally, the company said in a statement to the Associated Press. According to the AP, Target will also be searching for a chief compliance officer.

According to Reuter’s Target had previously split cybersecurity responsibilities among several executives, but their push for new blood to shore up efforts may indicates that they will seek to consolidate that role.

"We are undertaking an overhaul of our information security and compliance structure and practices at Target," Target chief executive officer Gregg Steinhafel said in the statement. Steinhafel also said in a blog post on the Target website, "In the weeks ahead, we hope to understand more about how this attack happened. And will use what we learn to inform our guests, make Target a safer place to shop and to drive change across the broader retail industry."

Target’s security lapse has come under fire in the month following the holiday intrusion, and the internal movement is a sure sign that they’re taking the loss- and the resulting public outcry-seriously.